ERIE, Pa. -- The Mercyhurst softball team hits the road for a pair of non-conference doubleheaders with Shippensburg and Pitt-Johnstown Saturday and Sunday.
The Games
The Lakers will make will open with a doubleheader at Shippensburg on Saturday with first pitch slated for 1 p.m. Mercyhurst will then make the trip to Johnstown for a non-conference twin bill with the Mountain Cats. The Lakers split four games with UPJ earlier this season.
Last Time Out
The Lakers have been off for 11 days since dropping both halves of a doubleheader with Edinboro. That doubleheader wrapped up a stretch of six games in four days.
Laker Offense
Mercyhurst boasts seven regulars with an average over .300 on the season. Madison Fry and Cheyenne Hindman lead the team with a .487 and .424 average respectively. Fry has also scored 17 runs and her three walks give her a .513 on-base percentage. Hindman has collected 28 hits with six doubles and a home run. She has scored 13 runs and driven in 14.
The Lakers have also thrived on the long ball belting 24 homers in 20 games. Mercyhurst has hit a home run in 10 of its 11 wins this season. Sarah Koscho leads the team with six homers to go with a .359 average and seven doubles. Allison Dejidas has five home runs and two doubles while batting .333.
In the Circle
Freshman Mikaela Schramski has posted a 4-2 overall record with a 4.31 ERA to go with three complete games and a pair of shutouts in eight starts. She has struck out 29 and held opposing hitters to a .242 batting average.
Morgan Hilty has made 11 appearances eight of them starts to lead the team with 43 innings pitched. She has a 2-2 record and one save.
Scouting the Raiders
Shippensburg brings a 17-13 overall record into Saturday's doubleheader after sweeping two games from UPJ on Tuesday. Hannah Marsteller leads the team with a .483 average and 30 runs scored. She has belted 16 home runs and driven in 49. Taylor Myers adds a .444 average a team-leading 31 runs scored.
Emma Flattery leads the pitching staff with a 4.23 ERA and a 4-1 record. She has five starts and 12 appearances striking out 36 and walking 12. Maelynn Leber has made 10 starts and appeared in five other games in relief to build a 6-5 record. Brianna Small leads the team with 43 strikeouts in 42.2 innings of work.
Scouting the Mountain Cats
UPJ is 5-19 overall after dropping a pair of games to Shippensburg on Tuesday. Olivia Porter leads the Mountain Cat offense with a .348 average, 13 extra base hits and 24 RBI. Bree Ginther chips in a .290 average with 16 runs scored. UPJ is a threat on the bases going 27-for-28 on the season in stolen base attempts.
Alyssa Hileman has a 1-5 record and a 4.31 ERA in seven starts to lead the pitching staff. Ashley Pagliei has made six starts and five relief appearances posting a 5.83 ERA with 17 strikeouts and three complete games.
Spectator Policy
The Shippensburg fan policy can be found here. The UPJ fan policy is here.
